Thursday, January 26, 2012

As the title says I was yesterday penalised for exceeding the speed limit in Regents Park.The policemen were in plain view with their hairdryers extended but I was too busy faffing about with all my gadgets to see them. As I looked up from whatever I was doing I was being waved at by the copper to pull in. As he approached the cab I humbly said " sorry about that how fast was I going?" to which he showed me the speed gun which had 40mph on the display "forty miles per hour and I'm afraid that I'm gonna have to report you for that so can I see your drivers licence and bill (cab drivers licence)" That was it, so final!! No warning, no bollocking, no "don't do it again". Mind you, I have to say that over the years the police have been very fair with me and I've been let off more times than I can remember so I suppose it will eventually catch up with everyone but it's still hard to take. He'd taken my two licences back to his car to run some checks and he duly returned them to me also handing me a producer which means I have seven days to present my paper licence at a police station of my choice to recieve my 3 penalty points and to pay the £60 fine. He never said much more than that and from experience I never uttered a word although the word "jobsworth" sprang to mind. I drove away totally disillusioned with the job that has seen me incurring fines at an unsustainable rate recently.

Before being stopped I had been on my way to the cab garage to pay the weekly rent and to get new ads put on. They all had a laugh when I told them I'd been ticketed again as it is now becoming a joke. Maybe they think I'm a joke and were laughing at me. Well who can blame them it sure looks like I love laying out all of my hard earned cash to pay these fines.

On a happier note the cab owner had been due to knock something off the rent at Christmas but hadn't got round to it so I reminded him about it and he deducted £50 which is almost the cost of the fine so I was well pleased with that result. The new adverts are nothing to shout about either just a picture of a worn pair of shoes to indicate that the owner of the shoes would visit every client personally to discuss their investments.

As mentioned in the last post I recently signed up to Hailo and have now done a handfull of jobs both cash and account. The passengers have all been very enthusiastic about the service and I think it will grow to be something amazing. I think if you use London cabs you should get the app and try it out. When we are allocated a job we head straight for the address and the meter isn't started for 5 minutes after arrival at address or as soon as you get into the cab if before 5 minutes. Card payments don't incurr any charges unlike most of the radio circuits which charge between 10 and 12.5% so it's a win win situation. Give it a try you won't fail to be impressed!!

I'll end this latest post with the news that my partner Jane has just become a grandmother for the first time. Her daughter Anna had been in labour for the last four days and at 8.10pm yesterday a bonnie baby girl they've named Taylor Jane was born in Ipswich Hospital in Suffolk. Jane has been in Ipswich for the last five days awaiting the birth and as we speak she is babysitting young Taylor whilst Anna gets her first full nights sleep for five days. My best wishes go out to Anna and her husband Dan and to Taylor too.

Well folks that's all I have for now but check back soon for more news.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Hi folksYesterday I signed up as a Hailo driver. It's a new service that enables you, the public, to call a cab via an app on your smart phone. It locates the nearest cab to you and sends it to pick you up. As of yet I'm still waiting for my first job on it. Download the Hailo app for iphones and android and I could be turning up at your door to pick you up!!

I recently had to swap cabs for a week whilst mine went to M&O's for a new radiator. It had got so bad I was refilling it twice per shift. The TX2 I was using was a right old cart and the suspension was non-existant. When I got mine back yesterday it felt like a Rolls Royce.

The work is slowly getting better but it's still taking me a whole shift and a few extra hours to earn my money. I generally try to be finished around 5pm and be in a position to collect Jane from work. Lately, that very rarely happens as a street hail can go anywhere. The last few days have seen my last job going to places suchas Tooting, Heathrow Airport, LCA (City Airport) and beyond all meaning that Jane has to walk home in the dark and often in the rain. My poor baby!!

Well I'm at present sitting on the Berkeley Square rank awaiting my next job whilst typing this on my iphone. Hope it's a good job!!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Got back from Scotland ok and went back to work this morning to find that the work was only marginally better than last week.I guess everyone is waiting for their first payday since Christmas before using us again, which is of no use to me or the thousands of other cabbies who have bills to pay.

I recieved a letter in the post from our licensing authority, namely, The PCO (Public Carriage Office). Inside were two ID plates that now have to be displayed at both ends of the cab. They will distinguish All London Drivers (Green Badge Holders) from Suburban drivers (Yellow Badge Holders) so you can expect to see these plates on display immediately although the official start date is March the 1st. See photo above.

Whilst at the 60th Birthday Bash in Scotland I got a chance to speak to my Uncle Joe about a book that he's had published. He's been researching it for years and finally put all the information together in a book. If any of you are interested in genealogy then you might like to check out this website. The Secret Life of The Earl St. Maur traces the pro-military, patriotic and amorous meanderings of the war-crazy, heroic, back-packing, 007-style, once-balloonist Earl St. Maur - son and heir of the Twelfth Duke of Somerset and Jane Georgiana Sheridan. Choosing war, rather than dukedom, parliamentary, estate and protocol duties, he refuted the concept of Christian marriage. Wars in Persia, the Indian Mutiny and Garibaldi claimed the Earl's youthful attention. There's a link to buy a copy of the book. Enjoy.Well I haven't much more to say tonight so check back soon.

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Hi folks
Just a quick post to let you all know that I am currently with some of my family in Bonnie Scotland. I'm here with mydad, sister and 2 brothers to celebrate my eldest cousins 60th birthday. We travelled up from London yesterday in a hire car. I didn't think my year old TX4 would make it on acount of it having a faulty radiator which needs filling everyday. So we hired a Vauxhall insignia and made the journey in about 7 hours including a stop off for lunch.
We have just had our breakfast at the Premier Inn and are about to leave for home via a stop off in Newcastle to pop in to see Some family.
After a really bad week last week I am hoping for better next week so watch this space.
Take Care
LC
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